The Damage Google has done to Apple

What to me is indisputable is that Google’s forays into Apple’s targeted space (certainly helped by Eric Schmidt’s tenure on Apple’s Board) have taken (and will take) away significant market share from Apple mobile products and services.

Yes, Android will surpass iPhone OS in marketshare eventually, that’s pretty evident. How ever the iPhone can still remain king of the hill as far as smartphones are concerned. How? Well it’s the Mac vs. the PC all over again, really.It’s one phone from one company against more than a dozen different phones from at least a handfull of companies. Only this time the OS isn’t even a Windows type OS that manufacturers have to buy a license for - they can get if from Google for free. That in itself will all but ensure that Android devices will flood the market at a faster pace than even the most popular iPhone can.

But by the same token the iPhone enjoys the same benefits the Mac does; Its maker is in control of both hardware, OS and key software. That allows Apple to stay nimble as a competitor, and the iPhone to stay on top of its game when it comes to superior user experience.

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Daniel Eran Dilger has an interesting piece in which he points out the 75% of all Android phones are sold in the USA. He also points out that AT&T have one Android phone, in other words, 75% (less but not significantly less) of all Android phones are sold through USA carriers which don’t have access to the iPhone.

I’m sure that Apple has its reasons for sticking with AT&T but the topic of this thread might also (at this point) be The Damage that Apple has done to Apple.

It will be interesting to see what happens to Android numbers when Verizon et al finally do get the iPhone.

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If MG Siegler’s take is accurate, about the latest and greatest Android phone, HTC has taken a step backward with HTC EVO 4G

So, I?ll start off with what you really want to know: is the EVO 4G an ?iPhone Killer?? No way. Not even close. Does it have some advantages over the iPhone? Of course. But it has more disadvantages. And, in fact, this isn?t even the best Android phone I?ve tried. Both the Nexus One and the Droid Incredible are better.

And let?s start with the battery. Simply put: it sucks. Again, I?m not using the 4G network (and yes, I have the 4G radio turned off), and it absolutely blows. My iPhone 3GS is about a year old now, so its battery isn?t at the peak condition that it once was. Still, it almost always lasts me for at least a full day doing what I would consider to be moderate usage of the web, texting, taking pictures, etc. The EVO? Good luck getting more than 4 hours of moderate usage out of this bad boy.

Maybe as they say in Monty Python “It’s only a flesh wound!”, let’s hope Apple doesn’t die from it.

Like to comment on Daniel’s view:
“Outside the US, the only place where Android is really competing against the iPhone is in Communist China, where a flood of knock off hardware is increasingly using Android software to bring the devices to market due to a complete lack of respect for copyright and patents in the copycat country.”

In Asia-Pacific, there are two types of consumers. The well-to-do and want-to-be-seen-as-such folks would buy authentic products while the mainstream guys would buy knockoffs. These mainstream guys expect good enough knockoffs and copycats would be available at a lower price. So, even without Android, there would be knockoffs and copycats. Android merely facilitate this process.

iPods started selling at pretty high price but Apple is able to maintain price pressure over the next few years so much so that knockoffs and copycats are not able to establish any meaningful market share. With iPad started off with a competitive price of $499, it would be interesting to watch how knockoffs and copycats fare.